Recent achievements and challenges in WWF’s work to protect biodiversity and reduce humanity’s footprint in priority areas of the global conservation programme.

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Presentation on theme: "Recent achievements and challenges in WWF’s work to protect biodiversity and reduce humanity’s footprint in priority areas of the global conservation programme."— Presentation transcript:

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Recent achievements and challenges in WWF’s work to protect biodiversity and reduce humanity’s footprint in priority areas of the global conservation programme Conservation Highlights May 2014

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Since its launch in 2007, WWF’s Earth Hour has become the world’s largest mass participation environmental initiative, active in over 160 countries, and is becoming a platform where people are mobilising action on climate and other global, regional and local environmental priorities. EARTH HOUR Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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The idea of mobilizing the voices of the Earth Hour audience in support of environmental actions around the globe took off with Earth Hour 2014:  In China, Earth Hour took the theme “Blue Sky” on the need to stop pollution and smog, using a photo-based phone app The #maketheswitch Earth Hour message in the UAE reached more than 5 million people, urging a switch to energy efficient lighting For the 3rd year running, more than 100,000 Earth Hour fans in Russia joined an environmental petition, this time calling for increased protection for 5 threatened species including the Far Eastern leopard Conservation Highlights, May 2014 Earth Hour 2014 launches crowdsourcing 1/2

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Over 2,000 energy-efficient stoves were distributed in Madagascar, to reduce pressure on forests, and crowdfunding on the Earth Hour site raised funds for a further 500 stoves In Finland, 20,000 people called for a fair subsidy policy for solar power. Helping drive the pledge #EarthHourSuomi was the most tweeted hashtag in the country 12,000 signatures on a petition against the proposed Ptolemaida V coal- fired power station in Greece will go to the government and KfW, the finance bank and sole investor Conservation Highlights, May 2014 Earth Hour 2014 launches crowdsourcing 2/2

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WWF has run many campaigns to focus attention on key issues and solutions. Current global campaigns include a call to shift investments away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, and an emergency campaign to address the threat of oil drilling in Africa’s prized Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. GLOBAL CAMPAIGNS Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF is campaigning to save Virunga – Africa’s oldest national park and most biodiverse protected area – from oil drilling. Virunga is also a vital resource for local communities, supporting tens of thousands of people. But this iconic place is under threat from irresponsible oil exploration. Some lines should not be crossed, and drilling for oil in Virunga is one of these. VIRUNGA Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF’s regional campaigns range from action on threatened species such as tigers and sharks, to specific challenges against environmentally-damaging development schemes such as dams. REGIONAL CAMPAIGNS Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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As apex predators, sharks are crucially important to the health of the world’s oceans, but are being wiped out on a massive scale – an estimated 100 million killed annually, mostly for shark fin soup, an Asian delicacy. Sharks also breed slowly. WWF offices in the Asia-Pacific region are campaigning to get their countries to stop importing, selling and consuming shark fin. SHARKS Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF has a strong and successful track record of challenging development projects that will cause environmental and social damage. Current campaigns are running against ill-planned projects such as ports, roads and dams in conservation priority areas such as the Amazon, Mekong and Danube as well as World Heritage Sites such as the Great Barrier Reef and Doñana. CHALLENGING DAMAGING DEVELOPMENT Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF’s biodiversity meta-goal is to ensure the integrity of the most outstanding natural places on Earth. This includes the protection of biodiversity in high conservation priority areas, and restoring populations of those species with the highest ecological, economic and cultural value. BIODIVERSITY Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF has been active in Latin America and the Caribbean since its creation, as this region hosts tremendous biodiversity riches including the world's largest tropical rainforest, the Amazon. To mark the holding of WWF's 2014 Annual Conference in Brazil, a selection of conservation highlights from the region is presented. FOCUS ON WWF IN LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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WWF’s second meta-goal is to reduce humankind’s Ecological Footprint so that we live within the renewable resource limits of our planet. This builds on strong foundations and targets humanity’s carbon, commodity and water footprints which have the greatest impact on biodiversity. FOOTPRINT Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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The climate crisis is perhaps the ultimate test of WWF’s ability to harness its strengths to leverage political commitment at the scale required by an issue that threatens the world as we know it. CLIMATE Conservation Highlights, May 2014

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Perhaps WWF’s greatest strength is its people - the staff and officers who together with our partners strive for a living planet. And there are many leaders and champions playing key roles outside WWF to achieve conservation success and sustainable development. By highlighting these environmental champions WWF recognises their contribution, profiles conservation success and inspires others to take up the challenge to secure a living planet. PEOPLE Conservation Highlights, May 2014